My name is Jolene (aka Jojo). Flowers have been a part of my life since childhood. My beautiful mother is a masterful flower gardener and designer. I live in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, where I’m an oncology nurse by day and a gardener and candlemaker by night. I adore container gardening, which is a necessity when you have a small space. I find peace and healing from container gardening. I call it my “dirt therapy.”
Most of the photos I take are inspired in the moment. Don’t get me wrong—I take planned photos, but the most beautiful ones are inspired by the feeling that is evoked at that moment.
This is my muse in the summertime, and I change her hairstyles throughout the summer. I love this lemon coral sedum (Sedum mexicanum ‘Lemon Coral’, Zones 7–11 or as annual). I change her hairstyles throughout the summer. I also love the way the shadows are in this photo. I had to snap some photos before the lighting changed.
This is Percy, our beautiful boxer—and a flower garden muse as well. On my days off, she waits by the door as I make my coffee and then leads me out to our flower haven.
Our steps need a little work. For now, we’ve made them whimsical by planting hens and chicks (Sempervivum, Zones 4–8) in the cracks of the concrete.
This was a lovely surprise one morning that stopped me in my tracks. I’m not quite sure if this is typical. (Editor’s note: This looks to be the flower spike of an Echeveria. Some species often flower in this general shape, but the perfect heart this one made is special and beautiful!)
We live in a row home in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. Ours is the only home on the block with a garden display. I’ve won the Lancaster City prettiest porch award for two years. I love when people stop and take pictures. Last year, a couple of people asked if they could take photos of their kiddos next to the flowers. This photo is from June 2020.
This is one of several braided hibiscus (Hibiscus rosa-sinensis, Zones 9–11 or as annual) my beautiful mother bought for me. I put them in containers and underplanted them with creeping Jenny (Lysimachia nummularia, Zones 3–9). This flower brought me months of joy. I’ve never seen this type of hibiscus.
The beauty of spring on a morning walk.
I love using unconventional planters such as this chicken feeder. My mother gave me a handful of sedum from her garden. I now have a plentiful amount that I share with friends and neighbors.
You can make beauty from broken things. I used some creeping Jenny to plant over the crack in the terra-cotta.
I am a candlemaker with a small business. I use flowers from my garden to add a special surprise for my customers.
Have a garden you’d like to share?
Have photos to share? We’d love to see your garden, a particular collection of plants you love, or a wonderful garden you had the chance to visit!
To submit, send 5-10 photos to [email protected] along with some information about the plants in the pictures and where you took the photos. We’d love to hear where you are located, how long you’ve been gardening, successes you are proud of, failures you learned from, hopes for the future, favorite plants, or funny stories from your garden.
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Comments
A couple of words only: JUST FANTASTIC!!
I Loved your garden space, the heart flower was breathtaking, and Love those head planters. Your porch is a show stopper, very inviting...thank you for sharing.
Absolutely WONDERFUL! The garden spirits have blessed you! Thank YOU for blessing US with these wonderful photos! And thank you for all the loving care you provide to your oncology patients. You are truly a special person! xoxo
Just so very lovely. Do you have a blog or Facebook page where you sell your candles?
Thank you for the great idea. My head planter currently has burrow tail in it, and is definitely in need of a new do. It also makes me sad, as my chicken feeder planter invokes memories of my mother in law, and has rusted apart. As I have a new front porch added at the end of summer, you have given me some great ideas...thanks so much for sharing.
I'm not a planter person but I thoroughly enjoyed the beauty and creativity of yours.
I've been looking at "Fine Garden Photo of the Day" posts for a couple of years now....and your post is my FAVORITE!
You are one of those rare people that I call a "scavenger of beauty", who can not only see the beauty in everyday things- like the fallen petals, the shadows on the face of a planter- but also in unlikely places- such as the Hen and Chicks planted in the missing concrete of a sidewalk, or the missing chunk of a flower pot.
Your gorgeous townhome and container garden is pure art!
Please share your candle website link!
Jojo - I enjoyed looking at the photos of your joyous garden! The hair styling is so fun. The way you captured the ruffle-y margins of the hibiscus flower with light and shadow was carefully thought out. And thank you for your service as a nurse.
I really like the 'broken' terra-cotta container, well done.
Absolutely delightful!!! Colorful, creative and joyous, what an uplifting space.
I would like to say here, kudos to the editor of CPOD! When we don’t know the name of a plant, he tells us, when we send a picture in that we don’t say anything about it, he adds to the picture. Thank you!
Oh... and beautiful containers today! I am not good at containers, so it’s a pleasure to see these!
What a wonderland of flowers. It must be nice to be so creative and able to see beyond what is just "there" and make it into a delight.
Thank you for sharing your beautiful pictures, they truly show your love of gardening!
So lovely!!! Percy has done a wonderful job of being the perfect garden muse. Love the face planter especially and the idea that you give her different styles during the season. Thanks for sharing your artistic talents with us!
Fabulous!!!! Showstopping!
Thanks so much for posting; I'm loving your
floral skills! 🍃
Look how pretty that concrete is! (Never thought I’d use that combination of words in the same sentence:)
So much color in a small area, what a joy for your neighbors to see as they walk by. Maybe someday some of them will be inspired to plant their own pots!
Especially like the face/hairdo half in shadow- the serendipity moment with a camera.
This overwhelming evidence of your gifts of nurturing, discerning beauty, and bringing grace to brokenness assures us all that those gifts are also present in your practice of nursing. Thank you for all of this!
You also have a great eye for photography! Lush colors, great compositions and even a touch of spirituality in your photos.. I love what you have accomplished in your allotted space— and so does everyone who sees it!
Jojo, guaranteed other people in your street Will be inspired by you to start gardening. Your porch full of flowers is awesome and so is your front door. Gorgeous. Alice
What a beautiful space you have created! Though the jobs are much different (I am a retired early childhood teacher) I would guess the feeling is the same. Stress relief from a challenging job. Bless you!
Absolutely stunning! You’ve shown us that container gardening can be so magical!
JoJo, your container gardening is beautiful. I can see how you won. Your ideas and creativity are like a welcomed breath of fresh air. Keep calming, inspiring and healing our minds, bodies and souls. Blessings to you.
I love this so much. It’s just stunning. Although my favorite is the doggo. I wish they would have linked your candle company.
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